 Hi Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Have you ever wished that you could control how you age? Whether you happen to age gracefully or not is mostly based on genetics, but there are also some things you can do to avoid aging too quickly. No, it's not an expensive cream or facial treatment. The best and most long-term way to avoid aging is to make healthy lifestyle changes. These are six bad habits that make you age faster. Number one, yo-yo dieting. Have you ever heard of yo-yo dieting? It's a popular dieting term for weight cycling, where you cycle through losing weight and gaining it back. This is often caused by trying out extreme diets and exercise models to lose weight as fast as possible. When you do this as a way to lose weight, instead of improving your overall health and well-being, you're more likely to regain the weight you've lost. This is because after implementing extreme diets, once you've lost the weight, it becomes harder and harder to maintain the willpower and motivation to keep the weight off. This yo-yo dieting increases your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The best way to stay young is to exercise and eat well for the sake of your health, not only for your ideal body type. Number two, not getting enough quality sleep. How many hours of sleep do you get at night? While it may be hard to get the recommended seven to eight hours, skipping out on sleep can lead to serious health complications, such as high blood pressure and heart weakness. It can also harm your mental health by making you more irritable and prone to depression. Similarly, did you know that the quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity of sleep? According to Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Harnit Walia, sleeping in a loud, well-lit environment can lead to the same negative effects as not getting enough sleep at all. So, if you want to have a young and healthy body for as long as possible, try to prioritize your sleep more often. Number three, not taking care of your mental health. When you feel exhausted, do you actually take a break? Many people don't take care of themselves due to the constant societal pressure to always be working and achieving productivity. However, in reality, self-care is one of the most important things in life. It keeps you physically and mentally healthy by giving you some time to relax and recharge. While it isn't heavily talked about as physical health, taking care of your mental health keeps you just as young and refreshed. Number four, not taking care of your skin. Do you have a skincare routine? Between all the skincare ads and YouTube channels, you may feel pressured to invest hundreds of dollars into luxury products. However, there are actually many ways to take care of your skin without constantly buying products that run out too quickly. For example, switching to a silk pillowcase has been known to help with both your skin and hair because a silk pillowcase is gentler and absorbs less of your skin's moisture. Also, the most important products to keep your skin young and healthy is sunscreen. While it doesn't treat your skin the way serums and moisturizers do, it protects your skin from harmful UV rays while you go out about your day. Number five, smoking or vaping. Do you or anyone you know think that smoking or vaping is cool? It's well known the negative effects of smoking can lead to lung and heart disease. So many people are turning to vaping. However, according to John Hopkins' medicine, vaping is also unsafe for your health. Emerging data suggests links between vaping and chronic lung disease, as well as asthma. So while many think vaping is a safe alternative to smoking, the best way to stay young and healthy is to try to avoid both. And number six, overthinking. How often do you lay in bed and replay various embarrassing moments throughout your life? While we all do that from time to time, overthinking and holding onto regrets can actually make you age faster. You're more likely to be stressed out and forget to live in the moment if you're constantly second guessing everything. The bottom line is that while overthinking is normal and human behavior, you can practice letting things go and move on using meditation. You'll likely feel a lot less weighed down and this can help you maintain your youth in the long run. The essential philosophy for staying young and healthy is leading a balanced life with everything in moderation. So while it sounds hard, the best way to quit these bad habits is to get support from friends, family, and professionals, and to take it one step at a time. Finally, don't forget to be kind and patient with yourself. Did you learn anything about how to stay young? Are you planning to try to quit any of these habits? Comment below with your thoughts, experiences, or suggestions. Please like and share this video if it helped you, and you think it could help someone else too. The studies and references used are listed in the description below. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button for more Psych2Go videos, and thank you for watching. We'll see you next time.